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What might an act utilitarian say about the trolley dilemma?

In the Trolley Problem, a train is hurtling down the tracks towards five men stuck in its path. The utilitarian answer is that the moral decision is to sacrifice the heavyweight man, because you’d still be killing one to save five.

What is the problem in Thomson’s the Trolley Problem?

In “The Trolley Problem,” Thomson offered a solution—call this her First Solu- tion—according to which the bystander may flip the switch in Bystander be- cause were he to do so (1) he makes what was threatening five come to threaten only one and (2) he does so not by any means that constitute an infringement of any …

Is the Trolley Problem utilitarianism?

According to this line of thinking, then, the choice is between right and wrong. A utilitarian can nevertheless acknowledge that the trolley problem is a moral dilemma in the wider sense, since something of moral value is lost by intervening and causing the death of one innocent person.

How would the act utilitarian solve the Trolley Problem?

If you switch the trolley’s direction, it will hit one person. Act Utilitarianism says flick the switch. b) You can stop the trolley from hitting five people by pushing a very fat man in its way. Once again, Act Utilitarianism asks us to push, but many intuit that this is, essentially, murder.

How would a utilitarian approach the Trolley Problem?

Utilitarian philosophers have traditionally given little importance to intuitions. In all the trolley scenarios, utilitarians would favor whatever option in which the greater numbers of lives are saved. The moral value of an action is not in its intrinsic nature, but rather in its consequences.

What does the law say about the Trolley Problem?

It is plain that if the bystander throws the switch, he causes the trolley to hit the one, and thus he kills the one. It is equally plain that if the bystander does not throw the switch, he does not cause the trolley to hit the five, he does not kill the five, he merely fails to save them-he lets them die.

What is the right answer for the Trolley Problem?

What’s the solution to the trolley problem?

The only way to save the lives of the five workers is to divert the trolley onto another track that only has one worker on it. If Adam diverts the trolley onto the other track, this one worker will die, but the other five workers will be saved.

What is Kant’s answer to the trolley problem?

Trolley Problem Under Kantianism The simple answer is that Kantianism does not allow for the pushing of the lever; you shouldn’t kill one to save five. This is because the decision to kill another rational being is always immoral in the eyes of Kantian ethicist.

How is the trolley problem a challenge to utilitarianism?

The Trolley Problem presents the following challenge to utilitarianism: According to utilitarianism, sacrificing one person to save four is always a good moral reason. But pushing a fat man off a bridge to save four workers who are about to be killed by a runaway trolley doesn’t seem like the right thing to do.

When did Philippa Foot propose the trolley problem?

The so-called Trolley Problem was first discussed by Philippa Foot in 1967 as a way to test moral intuitions regarding the doctrine of double effect, Kantian principles and utilitarianism.

What is the problem with Thomsons argument of the trolley problem?

The problem arises that in the first case, although the bystander is not directly violating the single workers right, he is indirectly violating his right not to be killed. Thomson replies to this concern by saying that although this is true but it being direct or indirect is not relevant when a person’s right not to be killed is concerned.

What kind of person is a utilitarian?

A utilitarian is concerned with providing the greatest happiness for the greatest amount of people, so in this first case a utilitarian would agree with Thomson and would say that it is mandatory to pull the lever and save the greater number of people.